Pianist Bolai Cao presents an evening bridging ardent Romantic expression and luminous French impressionism, tracing an unbroken musical arc through masterworks by Robert Schumann, Ludwig van Beethoven, and Maurice Ravel.
The program opens with Robert Schumann’s Sonata No. 2 in G Minor, Op. 22, an electrifying tour de force driven by relentless momentum (So rasch wie möglich), sudden poetic introspection, and feverish intensity. The sonata’s final ringing G pivots directly into the iconic opening horn-call of Ludwig van Beethoven’s Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 81a ("Les Adieux"), grounding the first half in a deeply personal programmatic narrative tracing farewell (Das Lebewohl), solitary absence (Die Abwesenheit), and exuberant reunion (Das Wiedersehen).
The second half is devoted to Maurice Ravel’s revolutionary five-movement suite Miroirs ("Mirrors"). Departing from linear narrative to explore acoustic color and optical reflection, Ravel transforms the keyboard into a shimmering prism. Across five vividly contrasted movements — the darting flights of night moths (Noctuelles), the desolation of solitary birds (Oiseaux tristes), rolling ocean swells (Une barque sur l’océan), biting Spanish satire (Alborada del gracioso), and distant tolling chimes (La vallée des cloches) — the music dissolves instrumental boundaries into evanescent scenes of light and atmosphere.
This event is free and open to the public. No ticket required.
All events are subject to change.
Getting Here
Two garage options:
Arps Garage (open to visitors M–F after 4 p.m. and on weekends) — located just north of the Timashev Music building.
- A good choice for events in the Timashev Recital Hall, just inside the north end of the building.
Ohio Union South Garage (open to visitors 24/7) — located just south of the Timashev Music building, next to the Ohio Union.
- A good choice for events in Weigel Auditorium, just inside the south end of the building, across from the Oval.
- The only choice for visitors M–F, before 4 p.m.
Weigel Auditorium is on the second floor, via a staircase in the south lobby.
- The elevator to Weigel Auditorium is in the back hallway, located behind the Music Commons.
